Very Merry Punch

Description:

There was a time when every household had its own recipe for spiced hot-wine punch. Folks would roam from house to house testing each one. With the blend of flavors in this punch, revelers might never move on to other houses on the block.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 750-ml bottles hearty red wine, preferably Cabernet Sauvignon

1 apple, sliced

1 orange, halved and sliced

1 cup pineapple chunks, fresh or canned

4 whole star anise

1/2 cup orange curaçao

Preparation:

1

Place water and brown sugar in a Dutch oven. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes.